UK Defense Spending Promise in Crisis | London News

The UK government pledged to spend 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2035—but the Treasury hasn’t even started figuring out how to pay for it. Chief Secretary Lucy Rigby bluntly told MPs the funding puzzle is “for the next prime minister,” while admitting no analysis has been done on the tough trade-offs needed. Former defense secretary John Healey resigned partly over this lack of planning. With a current defense budget at 2.7% and a temporary 3% target, the government needs to find an extra £4.7 billion by autumn—while forcing cuts elsewhere. One MP quipped the Treasury is an enemy of the Royal Navy, highlighting a chaotic, underprepared situation where promises outpace reality. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c05b1d1189d3ef60